Abecean Destiny
by hooded mage
Summary: Brelye joins the crew of The Black Flag, thinking they are ordinary sailors but he soon finds they were bending the truth.But after stealing a very valuable cargo, once Brelye calms down, they get more then they bargained for on the high seas.


**A/N Okay, being the first chapter there is no action and is pretty boring, but I promise it will get interesting later on. If you like this please review, it will make me happy and will make me write new chapters faster.**

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''Are you sure you want to go?'' Asked Raminus Polus, the over protective second in command of the Mages Guild. ''I mean, it's a long way to Anvil, and what about monsters and bandits?''

''I can just paralyze them with the simple practicalities of slowing down their minds using the basic structure of illusion that you taught me, I'll be fine.'' Replied Brelye, curtly. Brelye was a rebellious but bright teenage Breton. He had shoulder length black hair and large brown eyes. His skin was slightly tanned from his years in Skingrad.

''I'm sure you're right. I remember when you first arrived at the university. You looked so lost and confused but that changed very soon. Now you're top of your classes and are about to become the youngest ever scholar, and you want to leave, why?''

''Because the sea is calling to me.''

''But you have Lake Rumar right here.''

''I don't want a lake, or a river, or a bay. I want the sea, the Abecean sea. For as long as I can remember I have loved it. I never got many chances to see it while living in Skingrad. Occasionally, when Davide or Gaston had to make a delivery of wine to Anvil, they would take me with them.''

''I forget that you haven't always lived here. Having the famous Surilie Brothers as your cousins must have been interesting. In my old age I have forgoten why they sent you here, though.''

''They saw my gift with magic and thought it would be wasted on grapes. Raminus, as much as I would love to stay and chat, I must be going if I want to get to Anvil by nightfall. Goodbye Raminus.''

''Goodbye Brelye.''

Brelye hoisted his pack on his shoulder and walked out of the Arcane University.

Even for a mage, travelling alone was dangerous so Brelye waited for the next Legion Patrol to leave the Imperial City. After a quick introduction and a short discussion about destinations, the patrol and Brelye spoke very little. That was until they came across a mountain lion that Brelye managed to stop in mid air. The guard managed to stab it in the heart before the spell wore off. After that they talked all about magic and fighting until they reached Anvil. The guard stabled his horse and took to the cheapest inn. Which was, coincidentally, where Brelye was going: The Flowing Bowl.

Inside it was, well, lively. A group of drunk sailors were singing a tune in the far corner and two men were busy flirting with a giggling barmaid. The barman was a short little bosmer by the name of Maenlorn. He let Brelye rent a room for only ten gold and promised to bring him up a meal. After the dinner of venison with potatoes and an unusual lavender garnish, Brelye collapsed onto the rather uncomfortable bed. His last thoughts before he went to sleep were of sailing on the high seas.

He was rudely awakened by Maenlorn shaking him and saying that the night workers needed the room. So after packing away all his belongings he left the Flowing Bowl just as the sun was rising.

The docks were already alive with activity when Brelye got there at six o'clock. Workers were hauling crates onto and off of ships. Barmen were chucking water onto the drunks that had passed out the night before.

Newheim The Portly was a very cheerful nord with an impressive double chin. He was delighted to find out that Brelye was looking for work as the captains were pestering him for sailors. He gave Brelye a stack of advertisements and a table for him to look at them on. Brelye took out a piece of parchment and a quill and started to write down names that he would try. Many captains had a very strict No Mages policy and that was no exception in Anvil. After he had read through them all he found that only a fifth of them were possible, and that was only because they hadn't mentioned mages at all.

''Newheim, do you think I could look at the captain records?'' Asked Brelye sweetly.

''Of course you can lad. They're on the table over there.'' Newheim said while pointing to a large, leather bound book.

After half an hour of looking through the book it turned out that only two ships would allow mages. One was The Maelstrom: a ship of bad repute where most sailors never lasted more then a month. The other was a ship that had only recently been rediscovered: The Black Flag. A rich nobleman had found it buried under Castle Anvil was spending most of his money on repairing it. His uncle was Raminus Polus so he was familiar with mages and was more likely to give Brelye, specifically, the job as he knew Raminus well.

Brelye bid Newheim farewell and tossed him a septim before walking out of the dock yard. It was nine o'clock and the crowds were at their peak. Sailors were shoving through crowds of civilians and every now and then a shriek would be heard as someone fell into the harbour. It was an hour before Brelye was out the city and another half before he saw the entrance to Dunbarrow Cove. A crude bridge had been built over the sea and men were busy lugging things in and out of the cave. Brelye carefully walked across the bridge and into the surprising light of the cavern. Inside was the body of a ship that was busy being cleared of rubble. At the fore of the ship three Khajiit were trying to blow the wall of the cavern out into open sea. On a small plateau was the captains cabin that a dozen men were trying to lift with a flimsy crane. Brelye scanned the area for the captain and found him in moments. He was a tall Imperial with long sandy hair and clothes that must have cost a thousand septims. He wore a smile but not with his eyes.

''Hello, I'm Brelye. I was wondering if you needed a mage in your crew.''

''I don't _need_ a mage, but one would be useful.'' At that moment the cranes supports snapped and it crashed into the shallow water at the bottom of the cavern.

''It looks like you need a mage to me.''

''Fine, you're hired. I can't offer you lodgings or any sort of payment until we fix the boat. Um... do you mind helping us with the crane and cabin?''

''Only if I get the best sort of accommodation.''

''Deal.''

''Great! I'll get onto the crane right away. I'm Brelye, Brelye Copperhawk.''

''Pleasure to meet you. I'm Tom Clayfield.'' The men were trying to reconstruct the crane but with a shout from Tom they stopped and stepped away. Brelye raised his arms and focused his eyes on the wreckage until he was in a self induced trance. With a small flick of his wrists a purple mist enveloped the crane and the pieces reassembled themselves in midair. The men scrambled up it and tried to lift the cabin again but made no progress until Brelye cast the spell on the cabin. Slowly but steadily the cabin lifted and placed itself onto the bulk of the ship where carpenters instantly got to work fixing the cabin and ship together.

Brelye's magicka was depleted and he felt very tired.

''You don't have and flax seeds do you?'' He asked Tom as flax seeds had properties to restore magicka.

''I wouldn't know, Eliza might though; she's our cook and alchemist. She would be over there by the bridge.''

''Hello, I'm Brelye, the ships mage.'' He said to Eliza. She was an elderly plump lady with her grey hair tied into a loose bun on top of her head. She wore a grey striped dress and a stained apron. She was also rather short but could still look Brelye in the eyes.

She looked at Brelye with a kind face and said: ''It'll be grand to have someone help me with healing. I ain't very good with magic ya see. In fact, I can't do any at all. I'm a crack shot at alchemy though. The best there is. You didn't come here for a chin wag though, what is it you want?''

''I was hoping you had some flax seed, to restore my magicka.''

''I don't,no. Actually, I do have a potion you can use! It's in that cupboard over there, love.'' Brelye took the potion and gulped it down greedily. Instantly he felt better but still extremely tired. Eliza saw this and pointed him towards a bedroll by all the other sailors. He stumbled over to it and collapsed even though it was only eleven.


End file.
